Practice 'one-minute cardio' via a maximal effort of just 20 seconds, about twice a week, to effectively boost physical fitness.

noli's read

The idea of an ultra-short but intense workout is based on the concept of Sprint Interval Training (SIT), widely popularized by the work of Dr. Martin Gibala of McMaster University. His randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrate that a 10-minute protocol including three 20-second bursts of maximal effort provides gains in cardiovascular capacity and physical fitness comparable to 50 minutes of continuous, moderate effort. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of 34 clinical studies confirms that performing very short repetitions of maximal effort is extremely effective for boosting general fitness. However, the idea that a single 20-second sprint per session is enough to make progress is scientifically questionable. An intervention study led by Gibala's team revealed that a single 20-second interval per workout is not sufficient to trigger measurable physical adaptations. Finally, deploying an athletic power output of 1200 watts requires an already solid physical base and a meticulous warm-up to avoid muscle injuries.

the sources

1. 1Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M 2015
2. 2Stamatakis E et al. 2022
3. 3Stamatakis E et al. 2023